Tributes flowed for veteran sports journalist Tony Becca who died early yesterday morning at Andrews Memorial Hospital in St Andrew. He was 78 years old.
Opposition Leader and People's National Party President Dr Peter Phillips described Becca, who spent many years as sports editor of The Gleaner, as a giant of Jamaican sports journalism.
“We shared a love of cricket and this, over many years, solidified our friendship,” Phillips said. “His passion for and reportage of sport, in particular cricket in Jamaica and the region, elevated many Jamaican and indeed West Indies players unto the world stage. He saw Caribbean sports as a large extension of who we are as a people and he believed that our sports on the world stage was a powerful declaration of nationhood and independence.”
Phillips also said that Becca was not only recognised regionally as the expert in his field, but commanded global respect based on the extent of his knowledge, the reliability of his reports and the range of his experience.
“Becca's body of work exemplifies his excellent standard of sport journalism. He was always willing and ready to share what he knew. His good nature and engaging disposition will be missed,” the opposition leader said as he offered condolence to his wife Cecelia, family, colleagues, and friends.
The Press Association of Jamaica (PAJ) expressed sadness at Becca's passing and described him as a “cricket writer extraordinaire”.
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